Elliptical-shaped storm shelters

ABSTRACT

Elliptical-shaped storm shelters are shown and described. In some embodiments, a storm shelter may include an elliptical-shaped enclosure configured to accommodate one or more persons during a weather event (e.g., a tornado, twister, hurricane, cyclone, typhoon, etc.). The shelter may also include one or more anchors coupled to the enclosure, the anchors configured to attach a bottom portion of the enclosure to the ground while maintaining a top portion of the enclosure above the ground during the weather event. The storm shelter may further include a hatch coupled to the enclosure via one or more hinges, the hatch configured to allow the one or more persons to enter the enclosure and to shut the enclosure from its exterior during the weather event. In some implementations, the hatch may be coupled to the enclosure via joints or hinges that allow it to be decoupled from the enclosure from within the enclosure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/492,025 filed on Jun. 1, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This specification relates generally to storm shelters, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for designing, manufacturing, installing, and using elliptical-shaped storm shelters configured to withstand severe weather events.

BACKGROUND

Tornadoes kill thousands of people around the world every year. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in 2011 there were over 1,800 tornadoes in the U.S. alone. Of these, approximately 60 were “killer tornadoes” responsible for over 550 deaths. The deadliest tornado in recorded U.S. history occurred in 1925 across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, leaving almost 700 people dead; another such tornado killed approximately 1,300 people in 1989 in Bangladesh.

Ordinarily, the majority of these deaths could be avoided by the use of tornado or storm shelters. Current commercially available tornado or storm shelters are composed of steel, concrete, fiberglass, or a combination thereof, and are either completely buried in the ground with an external access passage or installed within a home (e.g., a “walk-in” shelter). As the inventor hereof has recognized, however, existing shelters are bulky. They tend to take up a large amount of space in the home or yard, and can be too expensive to own and/or install. Also, commercially available shelters are typically dark, musty, damp, and prone to harboring spiders and insects, and have been known to trigger claustrophobia and other anxiety disorders.

SUMMARY

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems and methods for designing, manufacturing, installing, and using storm shelters. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a shelter may include an elliptical-shaped enclosure configured to accommodate one or more persons during a severe weather event. The shelter may also include one or more anchors coupled to the enclosure, the anchors configured to attach a bottom portion of the enclosure to the ground while maintaining a top portion of the enclosure above the ground during the severe weather event. The shelter may further include a roll-top hatch coupled to the enclosure via one or more hinges, the hatch configured to allow a person to enter the enclosure and to shut the enclosure from its interior during the severe weather event.

In some cases, the severe weather event may include a tornado, twister, hurricane, cyclone, typhoon, or storm. Also, in some implementations, the enclosure may include a fiber-reinforced plastic enclosure. The anchors may include a metal or cement-based anchor extending outwardly from the bottom portion of the enclosure and configured to resist a force tending to pull the enclosure out of the ground. Moreover, an aramid or para-aramid-based band may be located at an intersection between the bottom and top portions of the enclosure.

In some embodiments, the top portion of the enclosure may be configured to allow a person to keep his or her head above the ground within the enclosure. The top portion of the enclosure may also one or more transparent or translucent areas configured to allow external light to enter the enclosure. The shelter may include one or more hinges coupled to the hatch and to the enclosure. The one or more hinges may be configured to allow the one or more persons to swivel the hatch to open or close the enclosure. The hinges may also be configured to allow the person to decouple the hatch from the enclosure from within the enclosure in response to the hatch being blocked or damaged by debris resulting from the severe weather event.

For example, the hatch may be configured to slide along an interior surface of the enclosure to allow the one or more persons to open or close the enclosure. Alternatively, the hatch may be configured to slide along an exterior surface of the enclosure. In some embodiments, a hinge may have a pin or bolt configured to be pushed outwardly from within the enclosure by a person to decouple the hatch from the enclosure. Alternatively, the one or more hinges may have a pin or bolt configured to be pulled inwardly from within the enclosure.

The shelter may further include a fastener configured to latch the hatch to enclosure during the severe weather event. In some cases, the enclosure may include a rubber trim or gasket configured to seal the enclosure from its exterior during the severe weather event. Additionally or alternatively, the hatch may include a rubber trim or gasket configured to seal the enclosure during the event.

In another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a shelter may include an elliptical-shaped enclosure adapted to protect a person from a storm, the enclosure having a first and second portions, the first portion configured to be buried underground and the second portion configured to rest above the ground, the second portion including at least one transparent or translucent area that allows external light to enter the enclosure. The shelter may also include one or more anchors coupled to the first portion of the enclosure and configured to resist a force tending to pull the enclosure from the ground. In some implementations, the second portion of the enclosure may allow a person seated within the enclosure to keep his or her head above ground. A hatch may be coupled to the enclosure via one or more joints configured to allow the person within the enclosure to decouple the hatch from the enclosure in response to the hatch being blocked or damaged.

In yet another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a shelter may include an elliptical-shaped enclosure adapted to protect a person from a storm, the enclosure having a first and second portions, the first portion configured to be buried in the ground and the second portion configured to rest above the ground. The shelter may also include a door coupled to the enclosure via one or more mounts, the one or more mounts configured to be at least partially removed by the person within the enclosure to decouple the door from the enclosure in response to the door being blocked or damaged. In some implementations, a reinforcement band may cover an intersection between the first and second portions of the enclosure. Moreover, the second portion may include at least one transparent or translucent area that allows external light to enter the enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an elliptical-shaped storm shelter according to some embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a frontal view of the elliptical-shaped storm shelter in use according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the elliptical-shaped storm shelter taken along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1 according to some embodiments.

FIGS. 4A-B illustrate perspective views of a hinge system according to some embodiments.

While this specification provides several embodiments and illustrative drawings, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present specification is not limited only to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the specification to the particular form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the claims. Also, any headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the description. As used herein, the word “may” is meant to convey a permissive sense (i.e., meaning “having the potential to”), rather than a mandatory sense (i.e., meaning “must”). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean “including, but not limited to.”

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and methods for designing, manufacturing, installing, and using storm shelters configured to withstand severe weather events are disclosed. Examples of “severe weather events” include tornadoes, twisters, hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons, etc. Although the examples discussed below may occasionally refer to specific types of severe weather events (e.g., a tornado), it should be understood that these examples are provided for sake of illustration only, and not by way of limitation.

Flying debris cause most deaths and injuries resulting from a tornado. In various embodiments, an elliptical-shaped shelter, such as described herein, may provide a cost-effective and simple solution for protecting individuals or families from being exposed to flying debris and wind during a tornado or severe storm without requiring the person or persons to be “entombed” under the ground. In some cases, an elliptical-shaped shelter may be configured to enable quick access to a shelter that utilizes a minimal amount of space in an outside yard, under a stairwell, in a closet, or in a home's foundation. For example, in some implementations, an elliptical-shaped shelter may provide a reinforced barrier impervious to penetration that meets the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) criteria of withstanding forces imposed by a 250 mph ground level wind as well as resisting perforation by a 15 lb. 2×4 board traveling at a speed of 100 mph.

Turning now to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown an example of an elliptical-shaped shelter 10 according to some embodiments. Specifically, enclosure 12 may have a substantially elliptical shape configured to accommodate one or more persons 34 during a severe weather event, such as, for example, a tornado or the like. Generally speaking, enclosure 12 may also include a bottom portion and a top portion. The bottom portion may be defined as the portion of enclosure 12 that is installed below ground 36, whereas the top portion may be defined as the portion of enclosure 12 that rests above ground 36. In some cases, the top portion of enclosure 12 may be configured to allow person(s) 34 to keep their head(s) above ground 36 within enclosure 12.

As used herein, the term “elliptical-shaped” is intended to convey a substantially elliptical or oval shape. For example, as illustrated in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bottom portion of enclosure 12 may be flat to allow persons 34 to stand inside shelter 10. In these cases, although the profile of enclosure 12 is not a perfect ellipse in a strictly mathematical sense (otherwise the bottom portion of enclosure 12 would be symmetric with respect to the top portion—i.e., rounded), the term “elliptical-shaped” may nonetheless be used to characterize the general shape of enclosure 12. Moreover, although alternative embodiments may employ certain shape variations (e.g., a spherical enclosure), the inventor hereof has determined that, in various instances, the elliptical shape of enclosure 12 provides a desirable tradeoff with respect to size, manufacturing cost, and/or storm protection of shelter 10 (e.g., a compact, impact resistant structure with a small footprint and capable of reducing wind drag).

Returning to FIGS. 1-3, in some implementations, one or more anchors 30 may be attached to the bottom portion of enclosure 12 and configured to hold enclosure 12 in place in the presence of the severe weather event. As such, anchor(s) 30 may be configured to attach the bottom portion of enclosure 12 to ground 36 while maintaining the top portion of enclosure 12 above ground 36 during the event. For example, each anchor 30 may be fabricated with cement, concrete, reinforcing metal (e.g., steel) bars, etc. Anchor(s) 30 may also include a rod extending outwardly from the surface of the bottom portion of enclosure 12 along with a generally circular end portion perpendicular to the rod, the latter configured to resist a force tending to pull enclosure 12 out of ground 36. A portion of the rod that is internal to enclosure 12 may be, for example, cemented to seat(s) 32 or attached using a metal flange.

In some implementations, enclosure 12 may be manufactured in an approximately 5×5 ft mold using a composite material made of a polymer matrix or plastic. The composite material may be reinforced with fibers or the like to provide non-penetration characteristics with respect to flying debris. Examples of suitable polymers may include, but are not limited to, an epoxy, vinyl ester, and/or polyester thermosetting plastic. Conversely, examples of suitable fibers may include, but are not limited to, fiberglass, carbon, and/or aramid. For instance, in some cases enclosure 12 may be constructed out of a polycarbonate material or the like. Furthermore, enclosure 12 may be constructed using any suitable plastic molding process known in the art, such as, for instance, composite or wet molding. The fibers used for reinforcing the plastic may be installed or applied in various configurations, thus providing various degrees of protection, thermal insulation, and/or imperviousness.

Additionally or alternatively, the top portion of enclosure 12 may include an exterior and/or interior aramid, meta-aramid, or para-aramid-based reinforcement or layer 18 (e.g., KEVLAR®, NOMEX®, TECHNORA®, etc.). Moreover, in some cases, an additional reinforcement band 20 may cover the internal and/or external intersection between the bottom and top portions of enclosure 12.

In some embodiments, enclosure 12 may also include “vents” 16. For example, in certain implementations, vents 16 may be hooded openings to the exterior of enclosure 12 that allow a given amount of outside air to enter enclosure 12, for instance, through a metal grill or the like. In that case, a drain or the like may be installed at the bottom portion of enclosure 12. In other implementations, vents 16 may be transparent or translucent areas in the plastic of enclosure 12 that are configured to maintain a physical separation between the interior and the exterior of enclosure 12 while allowing some amount of external light to penetrate enclosure 12.

Shelter 10 may also include hatch or door 16 having internal or external handle 26 and coupled to an opening in enclosure 12 via one or more hinges 28. Similarly as enclosure 12, hatch 14 may also be made from a fiber-reinforced plastic and/or augmented with and internal and/or external layer of aramid material(s). For example, hatch 16 may be a “roll-top” hatch (configured to open upon being rolled up, as illustrated in FIG. 2), a “roll-down” hatch (configured to open upon being rolled down on in the reverse direction as shown in FIG. 2), or a “roll-sideways” hatch (opening in a direction perpendicular to that shown in FIG. 2). As such, hatch 14 may be configured to allow the one or more persons 34 to enter enclosure 12 through its opening and to shut enclosure 12 from its exterior during a severe weather event. For example, hatch 14 may be coupled to enclosure 12 via one or more hinges 28 (e.g., two hinges located near or at hatch 14's corners or vertices) configured to allow person(s) 34 to swivel hatch 14 up and down to open and close enclosure 12. In some cases, hatch 14 may be configured to slide along an interior surface of enclosure 12 to allow person(s) 34 to open or close enclosure 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, hatch 14 may be configured to slide along an exterior surface of enclosure 12. Hatch 14 is at least partially spherical-lune, digon, or dangle-shaped.

In some implementations, hinge(s) 28 may be further configured to allow person(s) 34 to decouple hatch 14 from enclosure 12 from within enclosure 12, for example, in response to hatch 14 being blocked or damaged by debris resulting from the severe weather event. For instance, as shown in FIG. 4A (from the point of view of person(s) 34) within enclosure 12, hinge 28 may include an enclosure portion 41 (e.g., an extension or part of enclosure 12), hatch portion 42 (i.e., an extension or part of hatch 14), and pin or bolt 43. As such, pin 43 may be pushed outwardly to the exterior of enclosure 12 by person(s) 34 to decouple hatch 14 from enclosure 12. In some cases, person(s) 34 may remove safety clip 44 to free pin 43 prior to pushing it out of enclosure 12.

Conversely, in the example shown in FIG. 4B (from the perspective of an observer exterior to enclosure 12), hinge 28 may allow person(s) 34 within enclosure 12 to pull pin or bolt 43 inwardly to the interior of enclosure 12 in order to decouple hatch 14 from enclosure 12. In some cases, the pin may be spring loaded and can be released by person(s) 34 and pulled into the interior of enclosure 12. In some cases, the connection between enclosure portion 41, hatch portion 42, and pin or bolt 43 may be made through a threaded or non-threaded hole drilled trough the surfaces of enclosure 12 and hatch 14, respectively.

In some implementations, shelter 10 may include fastening system 22 (e.g., a clasp, latch, buckle, or the like) configured to latch hatch 14 to enclosure 12 during a severe weather event. Moreover, enclosure 12 and/or hatch 14 may include rubber trim or gasket 24 configured to seal enclosure 12 from its exterior during the severe weather event.

In the event of a tornado or other type of severe weather event, person(s) 34 may open hatch 14 (e.g., using handle 26) by swiveling it around hinge(s) 28 and sliding it along the exterior or interior wall of enclosure 12. Person(s) 34 may then enter enclosure 12 of shelter 10, swivel hatch 14 back to seal enclosure 12, and use latch 14 to lock hatch 14 in place. During the weather event, person(s) 34 may sit on seat(s) 32 while receiving some amount of light and/or air through vents 16, and while being able to maintain their head above ground 36, thus ameliorating the negative effects of claustrophobia and other anxiety disorders.

After the weather event has subsided, person(s) 34 may attempt to open hatch 14 by swiveling it around hinge(s) 28 along the surface of enclosure 12. If the weather event has caused debris to block hatch 14 from being open in the up and down direction, person(s) 36 may, depending upon the configuration of hinge(s) 28, push pin or bolt 43 out of hinge(s) 28 to decouple hatch 14 from enclosure 12.

Thus, according to various systems and methods described herein, an elliptical-shaped shelter may provide a compact, dry, easily accessible alternative to conventional shelters that has a reduced footprint and is less expensive to own and install. Moreover, in some cases, the elliptical-shaped shelter may provide an open, head-above-the-ground solution that is easily accessible and keeps its inhabitants from being entombed during a storm, thus capable of decreasing the rates of death and injury caused by such events.

The various systems and methods illustrated in the figures and described herein represent example embodiments only. In other embodiments, various elements of the systems illustrated herein may be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. Furthermore, various modifications and changes may be made as would be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this specification. It is intended that the invention(s) described herein embrace all such modifications and changes and, accordingly, the above description should be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A shelter, comprising: an enclosure configured to accommodate one or more persons during a severe weather event, the enclosure having a first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and a second elliptical-shaped portion, the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion configured to be buried underground and the second elliptical-shaped portion configured to rest above ground; one or more anchors coupled to the enclosure, the one or more anchors configured to attach the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion to the ground while maintaining the second elliptical-shaped portion above the ground during the severe weather event; and an at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch coupled to the enclosure via one or more hinges, the one or more hinges configured to allow the one or more persons to slide the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch against a surface of the enclosure to allow the one or more persons to open or close the enclosure, the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch configured to allow the one or more persons to enter the enclosure and to shut the enclosure's interior from the enclosure's exterior during the severe weather event, and the one or more hinges further configured to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch from the enclosure from within the enclosure in response to the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch being blocked or damaged by debris resulting from the severe weather event.
 2. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the severe weather event includes at least one of a tornado, twister, hurricane, cyclone, typhoon, or storm.
 3. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the one or more anchors include a metal or cement-based anchor extending outwardly from the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and configured to resist a force tending to pull the enclosure out of the ground.
 4. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a fiber-reinforced plastic enclosure.
 5. The shelter of claim 1, further comprising: an aramid or para-aramid-based band located at an intersection between the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and the second elliptical-shaped portion of the enclosure.
 6. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the second elliptical-shaped portion is configured to allow at least one of the one or more persons to keep his or her head above the ground within the enclosure, the second elliptical-shaped portion having one or more transparent or translucent areas configured to allow external light to enter the enclosure.
 7. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the surface is an interior surface.
 8. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the surface is an exterior surface.
 9. The shelter of claim 1, the one or more hinges further comprising a pin or bolt configured to be pushed outwardly from within the enclosure by the one or more persons to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch from the enclosure.
 10. The shelter of claim 1, the one or more hinges further comprising a pin or bolt configured to be pulled inwardly from within the enclosure by the one or more persons to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch from the enclosure.
 11. The shelter of claim 1, further comprising: a fastener configured to latch the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch to the enclosure during the severe weather event.
 12. The shelter of claim 1, the enclosure further comprising a rubber trim or gasket configured to seal the enclosure's interior from the enclosure's exterior during the severe weather event.
 13. The shelter of claim 1, the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch further comprising a rubber trim or gasket configured to seal the enclosure's interior from the enclosure's exterior during the severe weather event.
 14. A shelter, comprising: an enclosure adapted to protect a person from a storm, the enclosure having a first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and a second elliptical-shaped portion, the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion configured to be buried underground and the second elliptical-shaped portion configured to rest above the ground, the second elliptical-shaped portion including at least one transparent or translucent area that allows external light to enter the enclosure; at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch coupled to the enclosure via one or more joints, the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch having a surface configured to slide against an exterior surface of the enclosure when being opened or closed, the one or more joints configured to be at least partially removed from within the enclosure to decouple the hatch from the enclosure in response to the hatch being blocked or damaged, the one or more joints further comprising a pin or bolt configured to be pushed outwardly from within the enclosure by the person to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch from the enclosure; and one or more anchors coupled to the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and configured to resist a force tending to pull the enclosure from the ground.
 15. The shelter of claim 14, the second elliptical-shaped portion of the enclosure allowing the person, when seated within the enclosure, to keep his or her head above ground.
 16. A shelter, comprising: an enclosure adapted to protect a person from a storm, the enclosure having a first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and a second elliptical-shaped portion, the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion configured to be buried in the ground and the second elliptical-shaped portion configured to rest above the ground; and an at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch coupled to the enclosure via one or more mounts, the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch having a surface configured to slide against an interior surface of the enclosure when being opened or closed, the one or more mounts configured to be at least partially removed from within the enclosure to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch from the enclosure in response to the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch being blocked or damaged, the one or more mounts further comprising a pin or bolt configured to be pushed outwardly from within the enclosure by the person to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped hatch from the enclosure.
 17. The shelter of claim 16, further comprising: a reinforcement band covering an intersection between the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and second elliptical-shaped portion of the enclosure.
 18. The shelter of claim 16, the second elliptical-shaped portion including at least one transparent or translucent area that allows external light to enter the enclosure. 